Page 818 - Week 03 - Thursday, 14 April 1994
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The particular matter I wish to bring to the attention of the Assembly relates to the fact that concerns have been expressed by other members of the committee in relation to the contents of the preface of the report. I was aware of these concerns prior to authorising the printing and distribution of the report and I can assure members that authorisation was given only after careful consideration of the relevant standing orders and practices here and elsewhere. As Speaker, I do not propose to comment on the content of the preface, except to say that it is clear that the committee was not in agreement with the views expressed therein.
As far as can be ascertained, prefaces to date have not contained controversial material that has not met with the agreement of committee members. Assembly standing orders make particular provision for consideration of reports by committees, their signing and presentation, and the presentation of dissenting reports. They are silent on the subject of prefaces to reports, though it is common practice in the Assembly and in the House of Representatives and the Senate for a committee presiding member to add a preface to a report. It has also been a practice in the Assembly since 1989 for members to add additional comments to reports, although there is no provision made in the standing orders for additional comments.
The concerns that have been raised are serious and the issues raised do affect the basis upon which committee reports are made. In the light of what has occurred, I have concluded that it is necessary that the matter be brought to the attention of the Assembly and that consideration be given to either refining our practices in these matters or amending the standing orders to take account of the possibility of similar occurrences in the future.
MR MOORE (10.39): Pursuant to order, I present the report of the Select Committee on Euthanasia on the Voluntary and Natural Death Bill, together with the minutes of proceedings. The report was provided to the Speaker for circulation on Thursday, 17 March 1994, pursuant to resolution of the Assembly of 24 February 1994. I move:
That the report be noted.
The question of passive and active euthanasia is a vexed one in our society. The indications of the general view of society through prominent polling by Morgan gallup poll, for example, are that the vast majority of our society, certainly over 80 per cent, believe that a person who is at a terminal phase of a terminal illness ought to have the right to have assistance to end their life. It was with that knowledge that I originally tabled the Voluntary and Natural Death Bill.
When the committee was established to look into the Voluntary and Natural Death Bill and I was given the honour of chairing that committee by this Assembly, there were those who said that I would provide a biased chair. I believe that I have not done that. I believe that we have given a great deal of opportunity to people who oppose the Bill to have more than a fair say. From very early in the process I indicated that I was prepared to modify that Bill substantially. When the public hearings occurred, the members of the committee ensured that those who most strongly opposed the Bill outright had the
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